


100 years 100 rites

by Mystrothedefender



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Episode: e060-066 The Stolen Century Parts 1-7, Gen, M/M, Magnus has died in this, not really a ship but you could easily see it that way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-17 05:58:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17554709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystrothedefender/pseuds/Mystrothedefender
Summary: Davenport finds the deaths of his crewmates hard to deal with, perhaps Merle has a solution to his sorrows.





	100 years 100 rites

Death changes a person.

What a shocker, right?

Everyone died at least once, sometimes early on in the year, sometimes not until the hunger was down their throats.

Sometimes selflessly, sometimes by accident.

Davenport watched helplessly as members of his crew perished again and again, in front of his eyes, and he could do nothing.

You’d think you’d grow numb to it.

But no.

Each time was different, but it hurt just the same.

Magnus’s death on cycle 28 was the hardest.

It had been slow, bloody, for hours they’d been able to hear him screaming.

Davenport had been the one to put him out of his misery.

It was only right that he do it, he couldn’t put that weight on anyone else. The awful feeling that came with murdering a friend, a loved one.

Afterwards he decided that he wanted a little time to himself, he needed to process what had happened.

He hid himself away in the crow’s nest of the Starblazer, laying on his back, his eyes turned to the sky, watching stars that he didn’t recognise.

He hoped it wouldn’t happen again, but he knew it would.

He wracked his brain to think of ways he could have saved him and came up blank, again and again.

It was sickening.

He couldn’t stop replaying the moment in his head.

“You’ll see him again soon,” a familiar voice said from the steps to the nest, “Another hundred days or so…”

Davenport let out a soft breath. “That doesn’t make this any easier, Merle.”

“I know,” Merle said sympathetically, taking a seat next to Davenport, “It’s a… whole mess of shit.”

“I have to keep doing this for,” Davenport pinched the bridge of his nose, “possibly eternity.” He swallowed hard, “How many more times am I going to watch you guys die? How many more times will I have to _mercy kill_ my family?”

“No one should have to do this,” Merle said softly, “You’re handling it very well, Dav, but we can all see how much you’re hurting.”

“Thanks for being here, Merle,” Davenport said, his voice weak, “But I don’t think you can help.”

Merle shrugged, “I don’t know about that.” A soft smile came to his face, “I did have an idea that I really think will be helpful.”

“Oh?” Davenport said, feigning interest. “Is it something to make us invincible?”

Merle chuckled and shook his head, “No, no…” he cleared his throat, “Back home when someone died we’d have a funeral for them, right?”

“Yeah..?”

“Well, what if we had a funeral for Magnus?”

Davenport frowned, “But he’s coming back in four months.”

“He’s still dead right now, though, isn’t he? It’ll help everyone process it.”

Davenport shook his head, sighing quietly, “I don’t think so, Merle, it’ll just make everyone more depressed.”

“Heavenly Pan,” Merle said loudly, as if interrupting Davenport, bowing his head and closing his eyes, “We ask you to take care of the soul of Magnus Burnsides, until you see fit to return him to us. May the next four months bring him a well-deserved rest. Let him know that we, his friends, miss him dearly-“

“And that I’m sorry...” Davenport said softly, his brow furrowed as he looked up at the sky.

“And that Cap’nport is sorry, both for Magnus’s untimely passing, and the way in which he passed.” He swallowed hard, “And Pan, please tell Magnus that his sacrifice was not in vain, he saved my life, and Lup’s,” a smile came to his face, “And I’m sure he will again in the future, as is his way.”

Davenport felt his chest swell as Merle finished his speech. “It was difficult,” he began, talking slowly, “But I don’t think he would have had it any other way.”

Merle nodded, stretching out a hand to pat Davenport on the arm, “He’s like that, Maggie. I think he’d rather die than watch someone else die. Imagine if what happened to him had happened to another one of us.”

Davenport gave his head a soft shake, “He would’a been devastated.”

Merle nodded, laying down next to Davenport and looking up at the night sky alongside him. “It’s probably best it was him.”

“That’s an awful thing to say,” Davenport said sadly, giving his head another shake, “It’s true though...” he admitted.

Merle reached out and took Davenport’s hand, squeezing it softly. “You know I’m here for you, Fluffball, we all are. We’ve got to support one another. I know you think you’ve got to keep professional distance and whatever, but that kinda can’t apply here. You’ll end up killing yourself. Not that that means anything here.”

Davenport huffed out a weak laugh, closing his eyes for a moment and letting out a decompressed breath.

“Thankyou, Merle,” he said after a moment, “This has made me feel better.”

“Good,” Merle replied, “Can’t have my captain down in the dumps.”

Davenport smiled. “If anything happens to you again would you like me to do a little funeral for you?”

Merle nodded, “Yeah, that’d be nice. Just bring some flowers on the ship, say a few words. What should we do for you?”

Davenport chewed his lip as he thought for a moment, “For me..?” he pondered, “Come up here, I guess.”

“I’ve noticed how much you like it up here,” Merle observed, “A little high off the ground for me, but for you, I’ll come up here.”

“Thankyou,” Davenport smiled, “That means a lot.”


End file.
